Chemical testing device



Jan. 27, 194s.

J. W. MAGEE CHEMICAL TESTING DEVICE F1ed`Apri1 24, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 27, 1948.

J. `w. MAGEE CHEIICAL TESTING DEVICE 4 sneetsfsheet 2 Filed April 24. 1946 INVENTOR Jos EPH n M6655 l ATTORNEY Jan. 27, 1948. J. w. MAGL-:E

CHEMICAL TESTING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 24, 1946 mvzmoR Jose-RH VY. MAGE:

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ATTORNEY Jan. 27, 1948. J. w. MAGEE CmICAL TESTING DEVICE `Filed April 24, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet -4 Y i. mvnmn IF/oslslw IM Magee v 'Ahum N .hwg

Patented Jan. 27, 1948 CHEMICAL TESTING lDEVICE Joseph William Magee, Arlington, Va.

Application April 24, 1946, Serial No. 4664,444

3 Claims. v(Cl. 91-12) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon in accordance with the provisions of the Act of April 30, 1928 (Ch. 460, 45 Stat. L. 467).

This invention relates to a device adapted to test sheet material for secret writing, and somewhat more broadly, to a device for mechanically and automatically applying a plurality of liquid solutions to a sheet, film, foil, or web of material.

In testing sheet material, such as for example correspondence, newspapers and the like, for the presence of messages written in normally invisible lnk, it has heretofore been the practice to stripe or paint the document by hand with a plurality of test solutions, each of which is adapted to develop or render visible a certain type or class of normally invisible inks. If any one of the test solutions develops a portion of a message, then the entire document or article is treated with that particular test solution, whereby the normally invisible message is made legible. It can readily be appreciated that, in the censorship of thousands of letters, documents and the like, hand application of the test reagent stripes is a slow, tedious and laborious procedure.

This invention accordingly has for its object the provision of a mechanical device for the application or painting of a plurality of test solution stripes on sheet material to be tested. Another object is the provision of suitable means for automatically applying a predetermined quantity of test solution to each sheet of material processed by the testing device. Other related objects will be apparent or will appear hereinafter as the ensuing description proceeds.

The foregoing objects are accomplished in accordance with 'this invention which provides a sheet material testing device having a suitable platen adapted to support a test sheet, a plurality of applicators over said platen adapted :for movement toward and away from said platen, suitable means including a plurality of adjustable metering pumps for supplying test solutions in controlled amounts to said applicators, a flexible web device for transporting said test sheet over said platen for movement relative to said applicators, and photo-electric means associated with said platen in relation to said applicators for bringing said applicators toward said platen into wiping engagement with said test sheet and simultaneously actuating said metering pumps.

This invention accordingly comprises an auto-l matic device for striping or applying a plurality of solutions to a sheet of material.

This invention will be made clear by reference to the ensuing description and accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view, partly diagrammatic. of a suitable device in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation view, partly broken away and partly diagrammatic, of the device of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section, partly diagrammatic, along the line 3'3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 illustrates in somewhat greater detail a suitable metering pumpunit and its motor for supplyingtest solution to an applicator, looking in the direction of the arrows shown on the line @-4 of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a view, partly in section and partly diagrammatic, of a metering pump shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a detailed view of the pump brake assembly; and

Figure 7 is a wiring diagram of the electric circuits of the invention.

For a practical embodiment of this invention and referring now to the drawings, a suitable platen I (as shown in Figure 1) is provided, and is preferably horizontally supported by legs 2, 3, 3, and 5. The platen I is adapted to support a test sheet 6 winch may be a sheet of ordinary writing paper.

Suitable means are provided for causing said test sheet or paper 6 to pass across the platen I in substantially coplanar relationship thereto. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, such means may take the form of an electric motor I actuating a lower shaft 8 through a reduction gear train 9. A pair 'of lower belts I0 and II are positioned on either side of the platen so that their upper surfaces are substantially in the same plane as the upper'surface of the platen I. The lower belts l0 and II are driven by lower pulleys I2 keyed to the shaft 8. The opposite ends of the lower belts are carried by a pair of pulleys I3 journaled on a horizontal shaft I4 which is in .turn supported by the legs 2 and 5. Frictionally engaging the lower belts I0 and II and rotating in a direction counter thereto, are a pair of upper belts I5 and I6. These upper belts I5 and I6 are carried by pulleys I'I and I8 adapted to rotate about a horizontal axis and positioned directly over the lower pulleys |2 and I3. The upper pulleys are supported by suitable stud bolts I3 3 and 28 as shown in Figure 3. Thus, upon energizing the motor 1 andthe lower ilexible belts I8 and Ii, the upper iiexible belts fricticnally engage the upper surfaces of lower exible belts I8 and il to form a gripping surface for the test sheet 6 interposed therebetween. As shown in Figure '1, the belt motor 1 is electrically connected through a switch 2I to a suitable source of power which may be 110 volts A. C.

To facilitate the frlctional engagement between the upper iiexlble belts I 5 and I6 and the lower iiexible belts I8 and II, there is provided a suitable device for causing a positivetrictional connection. Such device may take the form of an extended flexible idler band 22 held inside the upper belts I5 and I8 by overhanglng supports 23 and 24 located along the sides of the platen I. Aiiixed to the upper surface of the idler bands 22 are a plurality of spaced weights 25 which act by gravity through a plurality of idler wheels 25 carried by the band 22 to cause the upper belts i5 and I6 to bear firmly and continuously against the lower belts I and Il in frictional engagement therewith.

Positioned over the platen I are a plurality of applicator devices pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis and adapted for movement toward and away from the platen I. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, such applicator devices may take the form of a swab holder support 21 horizontally carried by a pair of pivot pins 29 and 30 which are in turn journaled in a pair of supports 3| and 32. A plurality of swabs 28 and 33 are adjustably mounted on the swab holder support 21 at right angles thereto by means of suitable connectors 34 and 35 connecting the swab holders 38 and 31 to a swab pivot shaft 38. The swab pivot shaft 38 is pivotai;y connected to the swab holder support 21 about an axisparallel to the axis of the support 21 by swab pivot shaft supports` 39 and 40. The individual pressures exerted by the swabs 28 and 33 in operation are controlled by set screws 4I and 42 carried by a swab adjuster plate 43 which is in turn rigidly connected to the swab holder support 21 through spacing posts 44 and 45. The swab holder support 21 and the swabs 28 and 38 are adapted to rotate about the pivot pins 29 and 38 through a limited distance to cause the swabs to move toward and away from the platen I. Pivotally connected to the swab holder support 21 in a manner eccentric to the axis created by the pivot pins 29 and 30 is a swab actuating rod 46 mounted in a substantially vertical position. The lower end of the swab actuating rod 48 is connected to the plunger of a solenoid 41 so that upon electrically actuating the solenoid 41 the swab actuating rod 46 is drawn downwardly to rotate the swab holder support 21 about its pivots. Thus, the swabs 28 and 33 are brought downwardly into engagement with the test sheet passing across the top of the platen I.

To moderate the violence of the downward action of the solenoid 41, a dash pot 48 is provided as shown in Figure 2, and its Vertical piston rod 49 is also connected by the lever 98 to the swab holder support 21. To the upper end of the dashpot piston rod 49 a tension spring 50 is connected Vto a set screw 5I, adapted to adjust the tension on spring 50. The set screw 5i is in turn mounted upon a supporting arm 52. The upward movement of the dashpot piston 49 is caused by the tension spring 58 andis adjustable by the set screw 5l. Projecting from the arm 52 is a limitingarm 53 adapted to limit the upward return of the dashpot piston rod 49 and thus to limit the rotary motion of the swabs 28 and 33 away from the platen I. l

Closely adjacent to the lowermost position of the swab 28 is an aperture 54 in the platen I. The aperture 54 is not directly in line with the travel of the swabs 28 and 33, but is slightly toward the direction from which the test sheets of paper 8 are fed across the platen I. A light source 55, which may be an ordinary electric light bulb of small size, is directly positioned over the aperture 54 in the platen i so that upon traverse of a test sheet across platen I the light from the light source 55 cannot pass through the aperture 54. A photoelectric cell 58 is supported directly beneath the aperture 54 so that in the absence of obstruction to the aperture 54, light from the light source 55 passes through the aperture 54 and is received by the photoelectric cell 58. As shown in the schematic wiring diagram of Figure 1, the light source 55 is connected to 110 volts A. C. through a switch 51 and an optional stepdown transformer 58, adapted to reduce the voltage to a desired value for a small electric light bulb. The solenoid 41 for actuating the swabs 28 and 33 may be electrically connected through a switch 59 to an optional rectifier 50 adapted to feed the solenoid 41 with approximately 20 volts of direct current from a suitable source of 110 volts A. C. Interposed in the solenoid 41 electrical circuit is a relay 8i which is in turn energized through an amplier 62 by the photoelectric cell 56. When the aperture 54 is uncovered, the light from the source 55 passes through the aperture 54 where it develops a very small current in the photoelectric cell 58. This current is amplified by the amplier 61' (connected in turn through a switch 83 to a suitable source of current) and the relay 6I is thereby held in the open position. However, as soon as the aperture 54 is obstructed by the passage of a test sheet 5, the photoelectric cell 55 is no longer energized and the relay 6I closes its contact which in turn energizes the solenoid 41. When the solenoid 41 is energized, it causes the swabs 28 and 33 to move downwardly into contact with the test sheet 8 passing across the platen I. The action of the solenoid 41is moderated inyiolence by the dash pot 48, and when the test sheet 6 has completely passed by the aperture 54, light from the light source 55 again passes through the aperture 54, again energizing the photocell 58 and disconnecting the relay 8 I In order that the swabs 28 and 33 may be continuously or intermittently fed with replenishing amounts of striping solutions in amounts propertional to the swab requirements, suitable means are provided for delivering metered quantities of individual striping solutions or test reagents, as the case may be, to the swabs 28 and 33. The amounts of striping solution to be delivered to each individual swab depends on the test sheet surface to be covered, the number of test sheets to be striped, the size of the test sheet, and the viscosity or absorption characteristics of the test solution. Furthermore, the test solution must be fed continuously or `intermittently in automatic fashion as it is consumed. To these ends, there is provided a plurality of metering pumps which are adjustable as to quantities pumped and automatically controlled by the photoelectric mechanism above described to deliver metered quantities of test solutions to the swabs 28 and 33. As shown in Figures 1, 4, 5, and 6, the pump mechanism comprises a pair of test solution reservoirs 84 and 85 into which dip a pair or tubes 88, shown in Figure 5. The tubes are connected to a pair of pumps 61 and 68 which-in turn deliver test solu tions through the delivery tubes 69 and 18 to the swabs 28 and 33. The delivery tubes 89 and 10, as well as the pump assembly, are supported by a pump holder 1I. The delivery tubes 69 and 10 terminate a short distance directly above the swabs 28 and 33 to allow for normal travel of the swabs 28 and 33 into contact with and away from the test sheet 6 as it passes under the swabs. The pumps 61 and 68 are provided with a pair of pump pistons 12 and 13 which are in turn connected to a pair of tenslonsprings 14 and 15 carried by a pump plunger return spring holder 16, fastened to the pump holder 1|. The suction stroke for each pump is caused by the tension spring to which its piston is attached. The length of the suction stroke for each pump is made adjustable by a headed screw 18 mounted on an axis parallel to that of the pump piston 13 and threadedly connected to the pump piston 13 by an arm IUI. The

shank of the adjuster screw 18 passes loosely through a limiting stop 11 which is in turn horizontally positioned in the holder 1I. Thus, by turning the screw 18, the length of the suction stroke of each individual pump piston 12 and 13 can be adjustably limited.

The pressure stroke of each pump is caused by a pump connecting bar 19 horizontally positioned in the pump holder 1| and adapted for arcuate movement upward and downward, The bar 19 is carried by a horizontal lever 88 which is in turn pivotally carried by a support 8 I. The portion of the lever 88 which is on the opposite side of the support 8l from the pump mechanism is in engagement with a cam 82. The cam 82 is adapted to rotate about a horizontal axis and is connected to a motor 83 through a reduction gear train 84. Upon energizing the motor 83 the cam 82 is caused to rotate, which in turn causes the lever 80 to oscillate about its support 8| and thereby alternately elevates and depresses the pump connecting bar 19. Upon elevation of the pump connecting bar 19 the test liquids in the pumps 81 and 88 are delivered to the swabs' 28 and 33 through the tubes 69 and 10. Upon depression of the pump connecting bar 19 the tension springs 14 and 15 withdraw the pump pistons 12 and 13, a distance limited for each pump by its adjusting screw 18. Thus, each pump becomes filled with a metered quantity of test solution for delivery to each swab upon the next cycle of the pump.

The pump motor 83 is connected through a switch 85 (shown on Figures 2 and '1) to a suitable source of electric current. Optionally, an additional safety switch 86 may be interposed in this circuit, The pump motor switch 85 is indirectly actuated by mechanism responsive to the passage of a test sheet 6 through the photocell mechanism above explained, and as shown in Figure 2, the pump actuating mechanism may take the form of a pair of switch contacts 81 adapted to be closed by an arm 88 projecting from the dashpot piston rod 49. Thus, on the downward motion of the dashpot piston rod 49, the arm 88 causes the contacts 81 of switch 85 to close and thus energizes the pump motor 83. Therefore, as long as the swabs 28 and 33 are in wiping engagement with a test sheet 6 and the dashpot piston rod 49 is in the downward position, the switch 85 remains closed and the pump motor 83 operates continuously t0 deliver metered amounts of test solutions to the swabs 28 and 33. However, it may happen that a test sheet 6 has passed the aperture 54 and as above explained, the swabs 28 and 33 have then taken their upward position away from the platen I during an intermediate position of the pump pistons 12 and 13. To cause the pump pistons 12 and 13 to complete their cycle and thus be prepared for an additional test sheet, it is desirable that suitable means be provided'for causing the cam 82 to continue turning so that it will always come to rest at a predetermined position relative to the cycle of the pumps 61 and 68. To this end, there is provided a cam 89 connected through a shaft 98 to the reduction gear 84 (the shaft 90 may also serve to actuate the cam 82). A micro-switch 9| is positioned in engagement with the cam 89 and connected in the circuit of the pump motor 83 so that regardless of the position of the switch 85 the pump motor 83 is supplied with electrical current yuntil it has completed a predetermined pump cycle.

'In order to prevent the `pump motor 83 from coasting of its own inertia substantially beyond the position in which the cam 82 is desired to be at the completion of the pump cycle, there is provided a brake mechanism attached to the pump motor 83. This mechanism, as shown in Figure 6, may take the form of a brake shoe 92 engaging the shaft of the motor 83 and normally held into engagement with the shaft of the motor 83 by a compression spring 93. The brake shoe 92 is pivotally supported at one side by a support 94 and is pivotally connected on the opposite side of the motor shaft to an armature 9-5 of an electromagnet 96. The electromagnet 98 is connected in the circuit of the pump motor 83 (as shown in Figure 7) in such fashion that whenever the pump motor 83 is energized the electromagnet 95 is also energized. As shown in Figure 6, the armature 95, which is pivotally connected to the brake shoe 92, is fulcrumed upon a support |08 beside the electromagnet 96 in such fashion that when the electromagnet 96 is energized, the portion of the armature 95 awayl from the brake shoe 92 is Ydrawn toward the electromagnet 98 and the opcutting olf the current supply for the electromagnet 96.

In order that the operation of a striping machinein accordance with this invention be fully understood, a typical operating cycle will .now be described. The reservoirs 84 and 65 for each pumping unit are first filled with the desired test- ,ing reagents or striping fluids, as the case may be.

Thereupon, the pump motor is energized by closing its optional switch 51 and by manually closing the switch 85. The pump motor 83 thus causes the cam 82 to revolve through several revolutions and the pumps 61 and 68 deliver test solutions to the swabs 28 and 33 until they are substantially saturated. The belt motor 1 is then energized by closing the belt motorswitch 2l. Thereupon, the rectier switch 91, the light source switch 51, and the amplifier switch 63 are closed to energize the corresponding portions of the electrical circuits. Atfthe end of about one minute the amplifler 62 will have warmed up sufciently so that the relay 9| will be energized and thus open the electrical circuit for the solenoid 41. The solenoid switch 59 is now closed in order that an interruption in the light ilowlng from the light source 55 to the photoeleetric cell 58 will be effective to operate the solenoid 41. A sheet of paper 5, or other sheet material to be tested or striped, is now fed between the cooperating upper and lower belts near the pulleys I2 and I1. The upper belts i5 and I8 grip the test sheet 6 together with the lower belts I and II along the outer margins of the test sheet. The test sheet 9 is thus transported across the platen l in coplanar relationship thereto until the test sheet obstructs the aperture 54 in the platen I, The test sheet 6 in this position interrupts the ow of light from the light source 55 to the photoelectric cell 55. As soon as the photoelectric cell 58 no longer receives light from the light source 55 the relay 6l is de-energized and permits electric current to now to the solenoid 41. Thereupon, the solenoid 41 acts upon the swab activating rod 48 to rotate the swab holder support 21 about the pivot pins 29 and 30. As the swab holder support 21 thus rotates, the swab holders 33 and 31 move toward the platen I carrying the swabs 28 and 33 into wiping engagement with the test sheet 5 being transported across the platen I. The pressure of the swabs 28 and 33 upon the test sheet E is regulated by suitably adjusting the set screws 4l and 42 carried by the swab adjuster plate 43. By virtue of the swab pivot shaft 38 and the connectors 34 and 35, the swabs 28 and 33 can be moved relative to each other. Since the solenoid 4l tends to operate violently, the violence of the downward motion of the swabs 28 and 33 into wiping engagement, is moderated by the dashpot 48 connected by the dashpot piston rod 49 and the dashpot activating lever 98 mounted on the swab holder 21. As the dashpot piston rod 49 moves downwardly, the projection or arm 88 eX- tending horizontally from the piston rod 49 closes the pump motor switch 85. Thereupon, the pump motor 83 and the electromagnet 96 are energized, the magnetic brake shoe 92 is elevated free of the pump motor shaft, and the pump motor revolves the cam 82 through the reduction gear 84.` The pump activating lever 80 then elevates the pump pistons 12 and 13 a uniform height to discharge test or striping solutions from the pumps 61 and 68 through the tubes 69 and 10 to the swabs 28 and 33. As the pump motor continues to rotate, the cam 82 completes a revolution, during which the pump lever 80 acts through the pump connecting bar 19 to lower the pump connecting bar 19 out of engagement with the pump pistons 12 and 13. Thereupon, the pump plunger return springs 14 and 'l5 individually return the pump pistons 12 and 13 a predetermined distance in a downward direction which is limited for each pump by the adjustment of the flow adjuster screw 18. The head of the flow adjuster screw 18 for each pump abuts against the limiting stop bar 11. Upon the above-described downward or suction strokes of the pump piston 12 and 13, metered quantities of test solution are .drawn into the pumps 61 and 58 in preparation for the next pressure strokes of the pumps 51 and 69.

After the test sheet 6 has been transported across the platen l and has been striped by the swabs 28 and 33, brought as above described into wiping engagement therewith, the aperture 54 in the platen I is uncovered by the trailing edge of the test sheet 8 and light from the light source 55 again passes through the aperture 54 to the photoelectric cell 56. Thereupon, electric current from the photoelectric cell 56 passes into the amplier 82, is amplified for actuation of the relay 8l, and the relay 6I then opens the electric circuit to the solenoid 41. When the solenoid 41 is lle-energized, the swab return spring 69 acts through the dashpot lever 98 to rotate the swab holder support 21 about the axis defined by pivot pins 29 and 39 in such fashion that the swabs 28 and 33 are lifted out of wiping engagement with the moving test sheet Ii. Simultaneously, the projection or arm 88 on the dashpot piston 49 moves in an upward direction and opens the pump motor switch 85. However, the pumps 81 and 88 may not have completed a pumping cycle at this precise moment. The micro switch 9I, actuated by the cam 99, now functions to continue the supply cf electric current to the pump motor 83 and the electromagnet 96 until the cam 89 reaches a position indicating a completion of the pump cycle. The position of the cam 99 is initially set in relation to the position of the cam 82 so that the micro switch 9| is open only when the pump cycle has been completed; that is to say, when the position of the pump activating lever 8|) is at the completion end of a cycle. Upon completion of a. pump cycle, the micro switch 9| is opened by the cam 89 and rie-energizes the pump motor 83 and the electromagnet 96. Thereupon, the compression'spring 93 forces the brake shoe 92 into frictional engagement with the shaft of the pump motor 83 and immediately terminates further rotation of the pump motor 83. The cycle of the mechanism has now been completed.

It will be seen that the swabs 28 and 33 are brought into wiping engagement with a test sheet 5 whenever the test sheet 6 obstructs the aperture 54. The mechanism is adapted to operate continuously or intermittently whenever a test sheet is fed into the machine. The length of the test sheet is immaterial since the swabs remain in wiping engagement with the test sheet until the test sheet has been completely striped from one end to the other. The transporting mechanism can be made of any suitable width to stripe or test various sizes of sheet material.V The pump mechanism, as shown from the foregoing, is completely automatic in operation and is adapted to deliver a. predetermined quantity of test solution to each swab, which quantity of test solution is proportioned vto the length of the test sheet being striped. For a relatively long test sheet, the metering pump mechanism continuously delivers test solution to the swabs as long as the swabs require a supply of test solution.

It will be evident from the foregoing that there has beeny provided a very convenient and desirable apparatus for the automatic striping of letters, papers, documents, webs and similar sheet material with a plurality of solutions of different characteristics.

Since many apparently dlering embodiments of the invention will occur to one skilled in the art. various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, the co bination of a stationary platen with means for transporting a test sheet across said platen in` ed to support a test sheet with a plurality of ap- 5 plicators over said platen adapted for movement toward and away from said platen, means for moving said applicators into contact with said test sheet, means including a plurality of pumps for supplying test solutions to said applicators, l0

means for individually adjusting output of each of said pumps, means for driving said pumps, a, flexible web device for transporting said test sheet over said platen for movement relative to said applicators, means including a motor for driving 15 said web device, and photoelectric means associated with said platen in relation to said applicators for bringing said applicators toward said platen into wiping engagement with said test sheet and simultaneously actuating said pumps, go

said photoelectric means comprising a photo-sensitive element and a light source mounted adia cent said platen in such a position that a light beam from said light source to said photo-sensitive element will be interrupted by said test sheet 25 upon movement across said platen, electrical means connected with said photo-sensitive element and said appliactor actuating means for bringing said applicators into contact with said and electrical means connected to said drive means for said pumps adapted to actuate said pump drive upon interruption of said light beam and actuation of said applicators.

3. In a striping device, the combination of 35 conveying means for transporting sheet material with means for driving said conveying means,

contact applicator means mounted for movement into and out o! wiping engagement with said sheet material. means for moving said applicator means into and out of contact with said sheet material, an output-adjustable pump for delivering liquid to said applicator means, means including an electric motor lor driving said pump and a photoelectric circuit associated with said conveying means for simultaneously energizing said pump driving means and said applicator ac tuating means upon transport of said sheet material, said photoelectric circuit comprising a, photosensitive element and a light source mounted adjacent said conveying means in such position that a light beam from said light source to said photo-sensitive element will be interrupted by said sheet material carried by said conveying means, electrical connections with said pump drive means adapted upon interruption of said light beam to actuate said pump drive means and electrical connections with said applicator actuating means and said photo-sensitive element adapted to energize said applicator actuating means upon interruption of said light beam.

' JOSEPH W. MAGEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the y file of this patent: test sheet upon interruption of said light beam, 30

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,110,052 Paasche Mar. 1, 1938 2,192,833 Johnson Mar. 5, 1940 2,218.811 Chaussabel Oct. 22, 1940 2,243,587 Turner May 27, 1941 2,281,169 Pattison Apr. 28, 1942 

